Overview of EiA board game?

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Empires in Arms the Napoleonic Wars of 1805 - 1815 >> Overview of EiA board game?

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Overview of EiA board game? - 3/24/2004 7:40:42 PM

Becket

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Joined: 3/15/2004
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Hi,

I'm a long time WWII gamer, but have never really explored the Napoleonic Era. However, this game caught my eye and I'm thinking of giving it a try when it comes out.

Since it seems several of the folks on the board have played the original boardgame, I was hoping that perhaps you could give me a short overview of how the boardgame plays (or maybe direct me to a good link?).

Post #: 1

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/24/2004 8:44:18 PM

ardilla

Posts: 399
Joined: 2/25/2004
From: Castellon, Spain
Status: offline

Well, I could be too long to explain it to you but you can check this sites and figure out the game.

http://www.directory.net/Games/Board_Games/War_and_Politics/Empires_in_Arms/

If I remember correctly there were a message long time ago in this forum where someone asked the same question as you, you can look for the post also.

Regard.
P.S. Expecting to be able to enjoy this summer vacations with my computer and EiA.

(in reply to Becket)

Post #: 2

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/24/2004 10:35:51 PM

mrgodo

Posts: 19
Joined: 2/19/2004
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Status: offline

Corps level strategy with political and economic effects. On the same scale as WIF, but more like Third Reich in its simplicity I must say. More politics. You've got seven equal powers (some more equal than others) vying for prestige in europe and north africa. So you can have two sides, three sides, four sides, five sides, six sides and seven sides, depending on how well you interact with your opponents (these are extremes, of course. i think the norm is for three sides or maybe two sets of two sides.) there's just so much more hope for conflict. wwii is so black and white. good versus evil. unless you're playing some kind of patton scenario. In EIA you're trying to get ahead of your neighbour by scoring victory points and moving up a political track.
You earn victory points by humiliating your opponents with treaties after conducting successful wars against them. You also earn points in battle.
For battle, you pit your forces against one another. Packaged into corps, each corps can hold so many points of manpower (infantry, militia, guard, cavalry and artillery). Each type of manpower point has a specific morale rating. combat is resolved by each side secretly selecting a chit to represent their tactical approach to the battle. depending on what the attacker selects and what the defender selects, you are presented with a set of tables. These tables can be modified by terrain and leader effects. DICE ARE ROLLED!!! The results of the die rolls indicate manpower and morale losses. When one side is eliminated (no manpower) or broken (no morale) the battle ends, or after three turns either side may withdraw. If neither withdraws, another day of battle is engaged. After breaking an opponent, a victor with sufficient cavalry may pursue his opponent, inflicting more casualties.
what's your reason for gaming? dice rolling? looking up tables? moving thousands and thousands of men at arms around a map? comaraderie? fixing history? glutton for punishment? desire to humiliate all in your way? eia has it all.

_____________________________

Andrew God�
Superavisti palum ignum.
Adiaris, sed nemo sustinet machinam!

(in reply to Becket)

Post #: 3

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/24/2004 11:13:53 PM

Becket

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Joined: 3/15/2004
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Sounds great! Thanks for the quick summary, looks like I'll be joining in the wait for release. :)

(in reply to mrgodo)

Post #: 4

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/25/2004 2:59:39 AM

Marshall Ellis

Posts: 5630
Joined: 10/2/2001
From: Dallas
Status: offline

Mrgodo summed it up quite well!

I like the game because it simply has every type of player from all classes.

Do you want play the rich guys that control a lot of the money in the game AND have the world's greatest fleet? Play Britain.

Do you want the tyrannical nation that hungers for conquering other lands and has the manpower and money to ALMOST do it? Play France.

How bout playing the underdog that doesn't have any money or a very good quality of soldier to fight with BUT has endless numbers of those very cheap soldiers? Play Turkey.

How bout the big giant that may not have the resources to expand much past its borders BUT EVERYBODY will be sucking up to you since you have enough money and manpower to sway the entire game, all from the relative safety of your home nation? Play Russia.

How bout the fast, furious and violent empire which could go a long way or simply be out of the game before the first year is over? Play Prussia OR Austria.

How bout playing the one who might get forgotten by the big dogs and be left alone to quietly sneak up and win the game (Not everytime)? Play Spain.

I love it because not all the players are equal but the game itself is fair and balanced (If that makes sense).

Thank you and good playing!

_____________________________

Thank you

Marshall Ellis
Outflank Strategy War Games

(in reply to Becket)

Post #: 5

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/25/2004 3:05:47 AM

NeverMan

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Joined: 2/24/2004
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I agree with Ellis as to why I like the game. Also, it has diplomacy and strategy. The diplomacy adds a dimension a lot of war games don't have. Plus it also deals with economics. About the only thing this game doesn't have is detailed tactics.

(in reply to Marshall Ellis)

Post #: 6

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/25/2004 3:45:20 AM

Becket

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Joined: 3/15/2004
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis

How bout the big giant that may not have the resources to expand much past its borders BUT EVERYBODY will be sucking up to you since you have enough money and manpower to sway the entire game, all from the relative safety of your home nation? Play Russia.

You predicted my next question! I have a fondness for playing the Russian side and know next to nothing about how they shake out during this time period (other than the obvious defeat of Napoleon during the winter of 1812).

Thanks!

(in reply to Marshall Ellis)

Post #: 7

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/25/2004 3:32:45 PM

pzgndr

Posts: 3170
Joined: 3/18/2004
From: Maryland
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quote:

About the only thing this game doesn't have is detailed tactics.

I don't know enough about EiA details but can understand lack of detailed tactics at this scale. However, AH's 1776 had an interesting combat system where players could select a battle option for each round (eg, enfilade right/left, charge, etc.) and the attacker/defender combination would render an appropriate modifier. It at least gave a sense of tactical decision making. Maybe something like this could be considered?

(in reply to Becket)

Post #: 8

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/25/2004 5:27:57 PM

NeverMan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: pzgndr

quote:

About the only thing this game doesn't have is detailed tactics.

I don't know enough about EiA details but can understand lack of detailed tactics at this scale. However, AH's 1776 had an interesting combat system where players could select a battle option for each round (eg, enfilade right/left, charge, etc.) and the attacker/defender combination would render an appropriate modifier. It at least gave a sense of tactical decision making. Maybe something like this could be considered?

You mean outside of the "chitting" system that is already in place? If you don't know what that is, let me explain. Basicaly you have a combat table, ranging from 1-1 to 5-5 and all combos in between. Then each side secretly picks an attack/defend formation via "chits", 5 possible formations for the attacker and 6 possible formation for the defender. Depending on the chits picked for each side, each combo of chits picked results in different combat tables for different rounds. There are 3 rounds per day. After each day if no one is broken and no one is destroyed then you can either come back or run. If you run the enemy gets a free pursuit (using calvary factors), if you stay, everyone's moral is lowered by .5 and you repick chits. This is about as tactical as EiA is going to get.

< Message edited by NeverMan -- 3/25/2004 3:30:33 PM >

(in reply to pzgndr)

Post #: 9

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/25/2004 7:15:41 PM

pzgndr

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From: Maryland
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quote:

Then each side secretly picks an attack/defend formation via "chits"

OK, thanks. This is already part of the system, so should also be included in the computer version.

(in reply to Becket)

Post #: 10

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/26/2004 12:56:25 AM

eg0master

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Joined: 3/20/2002
From: Stockholm, Sweden
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The two things I like most about EiA are:
- Diplomacy. It is a huge part of the game but you may still use "force" rather than diplomacy at your own choice. At least in theory...
- The combat system: The two key points are:
* Morale; most battles ends with one side withdrawing/breaking with small or no losses.
* Casulties are calculated using opponent's size. i.e. the size of force A will very much affect the casulties of force B.

A casulty example:
Force A has 10 factors, force B has 2 factors.
A scores a "20% loss" and B scores a "10 % loss".
20% of 10 is 2, i.e. B looses 2 factors (all)
10% of 2 is zero, i.e. A looses no factors.

(in reply to pzgndr)

Post #: 11

RE: Overview of EiA board game? - 3/26/2004 5:28:12 AM

YohanTM2

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From: Toronto
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Out of all the board wargames we ever played EiA ranks up there in the top two or three. Diplomacy is definitely a huge part of the game and hopefully the online version of this will keep the faith. Man, I can't wait for the back stabbing to begin...umm...not by me of course dear future allies.

(in reply to eg0master)

Post #: 12